Amanda’s Bio

I’m going to go out on a limb here and assume that if you are hunting for a nanny, you probably don’t have a lot of “free time” on your hands. I know this process is tedious, time consuming and nerve wracking for a nanny, I can only imagine how much more so it is for a parent.
I’m going to attempt to give you all the information I think you want and need to know, right off the bat. By the time you are done reading this, my hope is that you will know definitively whether or not you would like to talk to me further about the position you are trying to fill. I spent a lot of time on this bio- it’s heartfelt, extremely detailed, honest and straightforward- please be aware that due to this, it is also somewhat long! If you find that I left out some piece of information that is important to you, please do not hesitate to contact me and I’ll happily answer any questions you may have.

That being said, I’m going to jump right into all that detailed information!
My last long term position ended on December 12, 2012, after 14 months of employment. They were a wonderful family with a baby girl, living in the South End. When I started, the little girl was a squishy, adorable, 6 month old baby and when I ended, she was a walking, talking, hilarious 20-month old toddler. The only reason I stopped working full-time with this family was because this little girl was very, very shy and we all agreed she would benefit from heading off to daycare and meeting some pint-sized friends. I actually worked part-time for them doing day-care pick-ups for a month or so after she started and still regularly sit for them now, whenever I can!
Between then and now, I've been working part time jobs and temporary nanny jobs while I got plans together for my return to school. From here on out, I will be working full-time and building any school time around that, almost exclusively on weekends, so that should be of no concern. I’m past the point in my life where where I can allow work to take a backseat to other endeavors- work will absolutely remain as my top priority, it simply has to. My plans for school extend far into the future and I intend on working as a full-time Nanny for the next 3-5 years, at least. I simply saw this "break" as an opportunity to redirect my goals, focus on researching schools, majors, etc. and, basically to make plans for the future.
Now, after finishing up a temp position (one strategically taken to carry me through April when far more long-term jobs would start popping up), I'm ready- and very eager- to get back to a full-time schedule. In this search, I'm determined to find the right "fit"; a family that I can stay with for a long time and one I feel completely comfortable with. This relationship is unlike any other; even in other areas in life where balancing both a business and a personal relationship is required, it’s entirely unique. For this reason, the "fit" between a nanny and a family is of the utmost importance. Any nanny can work in any home and have both parties be content with the situation, that's just a matter of focusing on the business side and less on the personal. But the families that gush about their nannies, who adore their nannies are families that not only found a nanny that is good at his/her job, they found an individual whose personality really meshes with their own- that's exactly what I'm looking for.
I’m looking for a full time, weekday position but I’m flexible with the actual schedule (for example, I worked four-10 hour days at my most recent position). I would absolutely be willing to do nighttime/weekend/date night hours as needed, but would rather it be in addition to my regular weekly hours. I generally would need to be guaranteed at least 35 hours a week, though the minimum is flexible and really dependent on what my hourly pay rate is.

Here's a rundown of my experience and qualifications:
- I have 10+ years of experience as a caretaker. During this time I have cared for children between the ages of 3 months and 13 years. I have held multiple full and part time nanny positions and also have a network of occasional/as needed families that I sit for as well.
- I’m child/infant CPR Certified as well as First-Aid Certified and will gladly present my certification card upon request. I am comfortable administering medications, managing diet restrictions and allergies and carrying out any other special needs your child may have.
- I am highly experienced with infant care and all the extras that go with it.

I am very familiar and completely comfortable working with breastmilk. I fully understand the “how-to’s” and level of importance regarding pumping, storage, and bottle-feeding. Most importantly, I really understand how much of a precious resource it is!

I have been employed by multiple first time parents and truly understand how difficult and absolutely huge this decision is. I also know how hard it can be to leave your child for the first time, and full-time, with someone new. I don’t have kids of my own, and I am aware that there are certain things I cannot possibly and fully get until I do, but my job has given me a better sense than most. My first priority is making sure your child is safe, happy and receiving the best care possible. My second priority is making sure you, as a parent, feel equally as safe and happy and are completely confident in the level of care your child is receiving.

I have experience with carrying out a “nanny log”, ensuring parents get as many details as they desire about their child’s day, from feedings and naps to activities and outings. I’m always more than happy to send pictures and updates throughout the day, as often as needed.

I’m comfortable bathing, feeding, and changing infants and carrying out any and all basic daily needs and activities

- I have attended many classes designed to benefit a child’s mental, physical and social development with the little girl I most recently Nannied. These included classes at the Isis center in the Pru, a Baby Ballet class at The Boston Ballet School, various playgroups at Mama & Me in JP as well as multiple music classes in Back Bay and the South End. I will gladly attend any classes and/or playgroups with your child if that is something you'd be interested in. I can also provide some advice, details and solid opinions about various class options as I have gone to so many over the past couple years!
- I'm comfortable going out and about with your child, in and out of the city and using public transportation when needed. I regularly took my most recent little one to The Museum of Science, The Children’s Museum, and the Aquarium and did it all by T and/or bus. Over the summer, when the weather was nice, we went all over the city to discover new parks and places to run around and also spent a lot of time in the Commons. Unless the weather is just beyond terrible we will always get out and about. Inside time is reserved solely for those particularly icky days!
- I have a tremendous amount of experience with toddlers as well. I seem to have a way of getting on their level that makes it easy for me to communicate with them. I honestly and truly love the unique, wonderful and hilarious nature of a toddler. When you can see in their eyes that things are really starting to “click” it is just amazing, possibly my favorite part of early childhood development. Whether it be something positive, like "Wait, so saying “please” instead of screaming could also get me that thing I want?!" or the ever defiant "Well yes, I get that you are telling me I can’t do this…but I’d like to do it anyways and see what happens…and I’m just going to stare directly into your eyes as I do it"…it’s just all so incredibly cool to experience! It’s the moment they stop being babies and start being little people, when you can say “look behind you” and they do, when they will actually make a choice when presented with multiple options and when they laugh so hysterically hard about the silliest little thing they nearly fall over…that’s what makes working with toddlers so rewarding.
- I’ve also worked with many pre-school/kindergarten aged kids and many older kids as well. These are really fun age groups to be around. It’s really different than working with little ones, of course, but equally as rewarding. It’s great to be around a child when they have really started to formulated their personal interests, when they have opinions about things and can vocalize them. The uninhibited creativity and ideas that come out of their minds cannot be beat. To me, there is nothing in the world more entertaining than what comes from asking a 5 year old boy to tell you a story. It’s pure gold.

A look into my childcare “style”:
- My motto: “Your house, your kids, your rules”. It’s as simple as that, and it’s something I feel very strongly about. How you tell me to do things is how they will be done, whether I’m given permission to use my best judgment as needed, or expected to check in about any decision that presents itself, that’s what I’ll do. It’s your house and they are your kids, so I will follow your rules.
- Going beyond rules and the basic “do’s and don’ts”, my style is pretty laid back, but not overly lax. I like to be creative and a tad goofy and I think that’s why I get along with kids so well (especially 5 and under, I usually end up embarrassing the older kids :p). I like when kids feel like its ok to make a big mess while they are playing and learning. Growing up, my mom had one major rule on the subject: “We can make as big of a mess as you want, we just have to clean it when we are done” and that’s pretty much how I do things as well. I really feel that when kids aren’t afraid to be messy it allows for more freedom to explore their creativity. And I have no problem getting messy with them. That being said, I do think there is a fine line between making a mess and being destructive, and that’s a line I try not to cross. For example, a 5 year old needs to understand that spilling some flour on the floor as we cook is ok…but intentionally chucking the bowl of flour on the floor, not so much.
- I love playing dress up with little princesses and getting dirty with mini football stars.
- I think combining creativity and science to come up with wacky experiments is possibly the best way to spend a few hours, but if your child would rather sit and read every book on their bookshelf, well I'd be happy to do that as well. We can even read them twice.
- Is your child between 10-18 months? Well rest assured…emptying the contents of a cabinet and then putting it all back in is my definition of a good time.
- In the most basic sense I’m there to allow your children the freedom to play, learn, explore and express themselves fully in the safest and most loving environment I can possibly create. There are things that only a Mommy or Daddy can do for their little ones, but I’ll be there when needed to take care of the rest.

Just a few more tid bids:
- Jobs tend to vary quite a bit in regards to the “extras” a nanny is expected to do, such as laundry and cleaning. I am comfortable with any and all of it. I was once employed as a household manager for a single dad with two little girls and I took care of everything from mealtime, to doctor’s appointments, to running errands and beyond. I managed the family’s entire schedule and even went to a few PTA meetings. I’m happy to help you and your family with whatever your specific needs may be.
- As I previously mentioned, I truly feel that the most important aspect of a potential Nanny-family relationship is the “fit” and everyone involved has to agree on that fit. The kids need to bond with the Nanny, the parents need to feel able to fully communicate with the Nanny, and the Nanny has to feel like he or she can be open, honest and totally his or her self within the family’s home. That being said, I think it’s important to mention a pretty significant preference that I have for my next position. I would really like to work with a family who is looking for their Nanny to become part of and to grow with the family. While a lot of families have this mentality, I know that it is not for everyone. Some families would prefer to have a more formal relationship and, of course, there is nothing wrong with that. I just want to make sure you are aware of what I’m looking for right of the bat; in this situation, being up front and on the same page is of the utmost importance.
- I love pets- cats and dogs (especially dogs!), snakes, and hamsters- they are all fine by me!
- I have a safe and reliable car, but also live extremely close to the B line and various bus routes.

So there it is, all the important details and things that I would like you to know about me and what I can offer your family…I did warn you it was lengthy!
If you think there is some potential here and that I could possibly help fulfill your family’s childcare needs, please let me know as soon as possible so we can talk and get to know each other a bit more. Again, I’m happy to provide you with any other information you may want, as well as references- please don’t hesitate to throw all your questions at me, I’m ready.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this and I hope to speak with you in the future!

Experience

Age Specific Experience

10 years of paid child care experience with:

First year

Toddlers (1 to 3 years)

Preschooler (3 to 5 years)

Grade School (6 to 11 years)

Pre-teen/Teenagers (12 years and over)

Special Needs Experience

Special Needs Conditional Experience

Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Asperger's Syndrome

Autism

Skills & Abilities

Additional Services:

Potty Training

Meal Preparation

Laundry

Light Housekeeping

Willing to drive children to events, school, appointments, or carpooling